by Sean Highkin, USA TODAY Sports

by Sean Highkin, USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO â?? The Chicago Bulls' 96-81 Monday win over the Cleveland Cavaliers didn't turn out to be the Derrick Rose-Kyrie Irving duel fans had hoped for, but it featured an important development for Cleveland. Andrew Bynum made his first start as a Cavalier.

Bynum, the former All-Star center plagued by knee problems that kept him out all of last season with the Philadelphia 76ers, scored 11 points and added 6 rebounds and 2 blocked shots in 21 minutes, providing one of the few bright spots for a reeling Cavs team that has started the season 3-5.

"I feel pretty good," Bynum said after the game. "Still playing limited minutes, but my time on the court was pretty good."

Cavs coach Mike Brown kept Bynum's starting spot close to the vest before the game, offering a non-committal "maybe" when asked if there would be any lineup changes. The official sheet distributed to media before the game listed the team's usual center, Anderson Varejao, in Cleveland's lineup. But during pregame introductions, Bynum was announced as the starting center.

And he made his impact known early on, scoring 7 of the Cavs' first 10 points. One of those baskets was particularly impressive, with Bynum outmuscling Joakim Noah with an up-and-under move in the post to get to the rim and draw contact.

"I've always had decent footwork," Bynum said of the move. "I definitely need to modify my game (because of the injuries)."

Brown is pleased with Bynum's progress thus far. "I thought almost every time he touched it on the block, something good happened," he said. "One of the easiest shots we had all game, when they doubled him, he kicked it out to Dion (Waiters) for a three. But we don't know how to play with him yet."

Brown wouldn't commit to Bynum as a starter going forward, saying it will depend on his health on a day-to-day basis.

Bynum doesn't have a clear picture of the long-term plan, either. "I know back-to-backs are still off the table for the month of November, but after that, I'm not sure," he said.

Bynum signed a two-year contract this summer that could be worth up to $24 million if his knees can hold up. He didn't play in a single game for the Sixers after being traded in August of 2012 as part of the four-team deal that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Although Bynum hasn't played consistently in a long time, he thinks he will be able to return to the form of the dominant paint presence he was when healthy with the Lakers.

"We're just taking everything slowly," he said. "I feel pretty good right now, and we have a good practice plan for tomorrow. Beyond that, we'll see."